Measuring-turnout for irrigating systems



v F. N. CRONHULM.

MEASURING TURNOUT FOR IRRIGATING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 29,1916.

3 0 2 Patented'Jan. 18; 1921.

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ATTORNEY F. N. CRONHOLM. MEASURING TURNOUT FOR mmeume SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.29, 1916. 1,366,062, Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

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Specification of Letters Patent. PatentedJgjn, 192] l Application filed HcQeinber ZQ, 1916. Serial No. 139,526.

To alt whom-it may concern.

Be it known that I, .FREDERIGK N..CnoN- norm, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and Htate of Colorado, have invented new and use'l'ul Measuring- Turnouts for Irrigating Systems, of which the following is a speoilication. a a

This invention has reference to measuring turn outs for irrigating systemaandfits obect is to prevent wastage of water andto insure each customer an ample supply where irrigating systems have heretofore resulted in an over supply for some customers and an under supply for others.

in irrigation systems as frequently installed no attempt at an enforced equable distribution of water has been made, so that wastage and consequent lack of supply i'or with the gate is a stilling pool or tank into which water flows from the supply canal and-comes to approximate rest, and froln which pool the water may be drawn through themeasuring means at a certain head irre' s'pective of variations in the water level} of the canal and irrespective of variations in the lateral, so that the measuring gate may be set with accuracy, theterm accuracy be ing used 1n the sense of meaning such a degree of accuracyas may be practicable in irrigatlonsystems without, of course, clenianding absolute accuracy, but avoiding haphazard conditions.

1 There are so many conditions and infhr ences entering. into. Water distribution that it cannot be made automatic or clocklike.

Among the factors to be dealt with are seepage, evaporatlon, solls, kinds of crops,

weather and the personal equation, together with main canal inflow at the sourceof sup[ ply, which is affected by variedprecipi'tation and use by other divertersfartherznp the stream. All these factors combine in a fashion thatnecessitates theemployment of ditch 'iders on every project where measure- .ment of water-is attempted for the sole pun-l pose oiregulatlng flow andproratingthe available supply to suit crop requirements under varled soil and weather conditions.

NT OFFICE- I With measuring devices the least possible sacrifice of head is necessary. j i

In an lrrigatlonsystem there is but little head le't by the time the water reache the high land on an individual farm,which head canfbe usedfor measuring flow. y i

Vlhth the present, inventlonmeasurements arejpracticable,wlth a close approach to accuracy and a minimum loss in headqtor the purpose of measurement.

Nhile measurements have heretofore been attempted the present inventionhas the advantage oisimplicity and cheapness of constructlon, adaptable to existing installations at a slight expense and in a lasting manner,

and capable of incorporation in new in-v stallations at a minimum cost.

The invention will be best understood from a; consideration of the .Eollowing aletailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings; forming part of this specificationpvith the further understanding that while the drawings show a.

practical form of the invention, f the. latter isnot confined to any strlctconformity with the showing of the drawings, .butmay be changed and modified; 3 so long as such changes and modifications} come within, the

scope ofthe appended claims.

In the drawingsz-em F'gure 1 is aside elevation of the deviceofthc invention installed, thebank between themain canal and a lateral being shown in section, t 1 a i Fig. 1s a plan view of; h lle stfllfitlll'tfr shown inFig. withaportion ofthe dividin 7 bank broken away to l -sbow the lateral.

ig. is a'tront elevation of the stilling tank.

Fig. 4C is a section of the stilling tank on the line 4- 12 of Fig. 2. m

u Fig. 5 isa detail section onthe: line 5-:5 ofFig. a. 1

-Figr6 is a Fig. 711

a plan view-of the structureorl Fig.6. l

View similar to Fig. 1, but showing a somewhat d fferent construction,

Figs. 8 and 9 are scctionaland perspective views, respectively, of details of construction. l r

It is tobeunderstood that the of the drawings is to be taken as an example of various structures -Wl1lCl1 may be used tor alike purpose, and while structures made 'inaccordance withthe showing of the drawings will operate successfully, other structures-mechanically quite different from the showlng of the drawings, but, 111 general,

.functio'nallythe same, "may be employed.

' There is provided, in the showing of Fig. 1 andf associated figures, a stlllmg tank 1 which may be conveniently made of galv vanized steel and of cylindrical conformation, which is the best shape for strength and compactness The tank may be initially open at the ends and when installed stands upright, with stitTening'ribsQ about the top and bottom. The tank is installed near one side {of a main ca nal 8 adjacent to a bank 4 separating th'ecanal from a lateral 5, by which latter water from the canal is dis; tributed-to apoint orpoints of utilization. At a 'low point on'the side of the stilling tank 1 toward the canal 3 is an openingor orifice 6 which may be considerably wider than high, and is so located as to be at or near the bottom, of the canal 3, thus providing a submerged opening into the stilling tank, The length of the orifice 6 may be reduced-by means of a gate 7 engaged in the orifice with itslower edge behind the wall of the tank 1 and against one end wall of the orifice, as indicated at 8. Then a positioning'pin 9 atthe other end prevents shifting of th'egate lengthwise or the orifice. The

gate is provided with a stem 10 rising therefrom", and this stem may be conveniently carried through the upperrim 2 and may have aperforation 11, or some other arrange- 'ment whereby the gate 7 can be held 111 closed position'by asuitable look. For instance, by reducing the opening 6, a proportionately'less amounto'f water'will flow into the stilling tank," provided, however,that an outlet gate, to be described, is adjusted to vmaintain the same difi'erence in water eleingsf are wanted it helps to keep the percentage of error in gage readings the same for small diversions as for large diversions in a device of a given capacity.

Connected't'o that side of the stilling tank remote-from the opening 6 is a tube 12 leadingthrough the bank 42 and discharging into the lateral 5; This tube where attached to thetank is larger-"in area'than it is a short distance therefrom, that is, it is funnel shape,

as indicated at. 1'2, and is controllable by a gate 13 mountedin guides l land resting when closedupon stops 15 within the stilling tank. funnel form of the tube 12 is of marked importance because of the easy entrance of water into it, which permits reducing the entire structure more than would otherwise be possible for a given device.

Moreover, the areas of the tube 12 and orifice 6 may be approximately alike for the larger sizes and graded down so that in the smaller sizes the orifice 6 is about one-hall as large as the tube 12. The gate 13 is supplied with a stem 16 having holding, setting and measuring means, showing the amount of gate opening, represented at 17, and which may correspond to the locking means for gates of irrigating canals shown in my application No. 8 1,690, filed March 16, 1916.

A portion 18 of the stilling tank 1 along which the gate 13 moves is flat and in chord relation to the cylindrical tank. I The chord portion 18 is shown us separately formed and overlapping and riveted to the tank 1 on opposite sides of a cut-away part of the tank which terminates in 1 langes cooperating with the chord portion to form the guides 14 for the gate 13, as shown in Fig. 8.

As to relative sizes of the various parts, so long as the discharge is large enough it does not matter how much larger it is, neither does it matter how large the stilling pool is compared with the amount of inflow, so long as it is of suificient size to satisfactorily still the water so surface readings can be determined. There is, however, a relation between the size and shape of the submerged orifice 6 and the radius of the stilling pool. For instance, it with a given orifice and radius the discharge for a certain pressure head be determined, then if either the orifice or the radius be changed the table of discharge would be incorrect and must be rectified.

The structure shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is in the main similar to that shown in Fig. 1 and associated figures, but differs in that there is a tank 1 in all respects like the tank 1 except that the orifice 6 and the outlet 12 are so related that the top of the orifice 6 and the bottom of the outlet 19f are about on a level, so that when the device is installed the top of the orifice 6 is about on the same level as the bottom of the lateral 5. Protecting the orifice 6 is a spillway formed by a shield 19 indicated as of curved form of a height to reach from the bottom of the tank 1 to the top of the orifice G and made fast at the ends to the sides of the tank 1, as indicated at 20.

The orifice 6 or (5 has to be submerged in order to measure flow, and as it is desirable to measure the flow with small loss of head, the orifice 6 and the discharge tube 12 have their bottom face in about the same plane in the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. When still less loss of head is desirable the top of the orifice is placed on a plane with the botlltl ll-ii provided.

1 ,eeenea tom of the discharge tube, as shown infltig. 6, inwhich case the spillway shield 19 is The spillway preventing, erosion by water entering the orifice under high velocity, in which case it isnecessary to install the device with the spillway crest at canal grade elevation in,

order to makethe deliveryof all the water flowing and in measuring small quantities,

andat the same time having the orifice submerged. It will beunderstood that other arrzuigements maybe provided, but those shown are deemed sufficient, and it is unnecessary to illustrate such other arrange ments.

When water flows from the main canal nto the stilling tank or chamber, it meets water already therein, and byhaving the capacity oi thestillmg chamber considerably more than that of the outlet, say, a four to one relation, the surface of the water in the stilling tank becomes quiet and hence by means of established tablesit is an'easy matter to set theoutlet gate in accordance therewith, so that irrespectiveof variations of level in the main canal 2-) or cemand from the laterals, a determined flow beestablished with practical accuracy. y

The relatively'large size of the stilling tanlrbrings about such a stilling of the surface of the water rushing thereinlthrough the orifice 6 that the surface elevation may readily be determined and comparedwith the water outside or in the canal 3. 1 Moreover, by having the tank 1 relatively large ampleroom is provided in its walls for the orifice 6 which must be of suitable capacity and be sufliciently submerged in the canal.

When the gate 1311s closed the water level in the tank 1 is the same as in the canal. If the gate 13 be raised then the discharge through the pipe 12 causes a corresponding lowering of the water level in the tank. The water in the tank therefore as compared with the water in the canal and this depends on whether the gate be closed or opened with the difference controlled by the gate. Knowing such difference it is easy to determine the discharge, and, by

compiling tables of discharge from actual test, reliable data are to be expected.

The device is primarily intended fol-making diversions from canals having a water depth less than about three feet, but is not limited to any exact depth.

lVhere water isor has been plentiful in streams and ditches the necessity for close measurement has not been felt, but with greater demand for water and with the sup ply limited, and consequently with an increase in the value of the water, the necessity for a more efiicient and simple means of measurement and distribution is apparent.

shield. has] the advantage of lie importance.

and lowers This is" the history the development of every irrigatedcommunity, and the need is increasingly exacting since the demand for water progrr issively increases. Consequently the prevention oi? waste is a mattar .oi pub The invention insures just distribution constant height arranged to be submerged in an. irrigation canal, saitlfiyllfldef having a chord portion opposite the inlet orifice, and provided with an outlet pipe extending therefrom for connection with a lateral, and a flatmeasuring gate movable up and down over the outlet pipe along the chord portion oi the cylinder to control the effective cross sectional area of said outlet pipe. rlinieasui'iiig turn -out for irrigating systems, comprising a stilling tank in the path office of water from anirrigating canal to a late :11, with the stilling tank having'its interior wholly free from obstructiiins, aiidprovided with a freely open inlet,andf positive measuring means at the outlet capable of adjustment by minute steps, the outlet extending to a greater height than the inlet.

A measuring turnout for irrigating systems, comprising a stilling tank with aireely open submerged inlet orifice of constant height having means for varying its lateral extent, and an outlet pipe leading from the stilling tank near the lower end thereof, said tank having measuring means associated with the outlet pipe where leaving the tank.

l A measuring turn-out for irrigating systems, comprising a cylinder for installairrigating and inspiresconfidence because of its simplicity and ease of uhderstandmg. The in- -ventio1i provides more compact and sunllll tion in an upright position in an irrigat.

ing canal, and having a laterally elongated inlet orifice of constant height near the lower end for submergence in the canal, a pipe leading irom the lower portion of the cylinder opposlte the inlet for discharge into a lateral, and said cylinder having a chord portion where connected to the outlet pipefand a. controllable gate movable up and down along the chord portion of the cylinder for determining the outflow from the tank through the outlet pipe.

, 5. A measuring turn-out for irrigation systemscomprising a cylinder for installation in an uprlght position in a lateral or sub-lateral, said cylinder having a laterally elongated orifice and a chord portion oppoto a canal or lateral, said cylinder having an inlet orifice with a spillway associated therewith, and set in the path of flow of water entering the cylinder by Way of the orifice, the cylinder being provided with a ;ch0rd portion opposite the inlet orifice, a

funnel-shaped tube or pipe leading from the lower part of the chord portion of the cylinder for discharge into a lateral, and a controllable gate for regulating the (11$- 'chargeiby controlling the difference in water elevation between that in the cylinder J and that outside in the canal.

r. IL measuring turn-out for irrigation 'sj' stems comprising a tank for installation in a lateral or sub-lateral and provided on opposite sides with a laterally elongated in let orifice and an outlet opening, respectively, the inlet orifice having its bottom portionin submerged relation to the bottom of the foulet opening, a tapering. discharge pipe leading from the outlet opening, and a controllable gateat the outlet opening for regulating the amount of discharge from the tank through said opening.

8. A measuring turn-out for irrigation ystenis, comprising a tank for installation in a lateral or sub-lateral and provided on one i side with a laterally elongated inlet orifice having a spillway associated therewith and leading thereto, said tank being provided with an outlet opening opposite the inlet orifice with the latter having its bottom portion in submerged relation to the bottom of the outlet opening, a tapering pipe leading from the outlet opening, and a controllable gate associated with the outlet opening for regulating the amount of discharge from the tank through said outlet opening.

9. A measuring turn-out for irrigating systems, comprising a stilling tank for location in the path of flow of water from an irrigating canal to a lateral and provided with a spill-way in front of its inlet orifice, and positive measuring means at the outlet.

10. A measuring turn-out for irrigating systems, comprising a stilling tank for locationin the path of flow of water from an irrigating canal to a lateral and provided with a spill-way in front of the inlet orifice, with the mouth of the spill-way higher than the bottom of the stilling tank.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK l CRONHOLM.

Witnesses J. E. James, FRANK ADAMS. 

